Demand and Supply: Francis W. Joaque, an Early African Photographer in an Emerging Market

This article takes a closer look at photography's use and reception during its introduction in West and Central Africa, in the era of European imperial conquest. It considers patronage as well as the most popular forms and circulation of early photography. The latter part focuses on one of the first African photographers, Francis Wilberforce Joaque. His biography vividly illustrates a professional acumen in the dynamic markets where he met the demands of such a heterogeneous clientele, responding by providing a generalized supply of images, as well as getting individual and institutional commissions.